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The partnership between Essex Leopards and Oaklands Wolves brings Division 1 Men's basketball to Oaklands for the first time. Having coached in the academy a number of years ago, Thomas Baker is returning to the Wolfpack as the head coach of the new Oaklands Wolves Division 1 Men's side. Coach Baker was named Head Coach of Essex Leopards in 2017 and is excited about the partnership with the Wolves:
"This partnership marks exciting times for the club moving forward. We are 100 percent committed to building from last season's success and working with Oaklands is going to help us do that.
"It is going to be great to work with an academy that has a proven track record of developing elite level players and I am confident that the outstanding facilities at Oaklands will help us continue to develop that talent.
"From our early conversations it is clear that all involved are aligned in thinking when it comes to how we approach training, player development and coaching philosophies and I look forward to see how our journey continues with our new partnership."
“It is great to be back, as Head Coach, albeit with a new name, I am excited to get the season underway. This year sees us employ a new emphasis in the team that will enable academy players at Oaklands to feature heavily, which will help us lay the foundations for a British player pathway. Establishing a performance program that puts the development of self, team and program at it’s core is key to our philosophy and I am looking forward to seeing this progress over time.”
Stay tuned for player releases!